When it comes to fat, a fat is a fat is a fat. Fats all have the same calories. So, if you eat a teaspoon of olive oil or a teaspoon of lard you’d get the same calories. But, the olive oil is heart healthy and the lard is detrimental. So, there’s a better fat versus a bad fat. The better fats are going to be things like olive oil, canola oil and almond oil. Those have the highest heart healthy fat. Other good fats are things like sunflower, safflower, corn oil, and peanut oil.

Oils that are solid at room temperature like butter, shortening, and lard are detrimental. Serving size matters. You can’t put olive oil on everything just because it’s good for you. Too much fat is too much of a good thing and you will gain weight. So keep in mind, although it’s good, it’s good in small quantities. Other things that you can use are veggie sprays like Pam.

You may ask: But what about vegetable oils? Vegetable oil is always going to be soybean oil because it’s the least expensive and that falls into the good category. The better category is the canola and the olive oil. Vegetable oil is less expensive. As for olive oil, to get the heart healthy benefits, it does not matter if it’s extra, extra, extra virgin or if it’s just regular olive oil. Because whether it’s pressed first or the fourteenth pressing of the olive, you still are getting the fat that’s heart healthy. By definition, light olive oil is light by color. It doesn’t mean its low in calories.

Keep these fat facts in mind on your next grocery shopping trip.